This invention relates to a mounting device for a vehicle lamp, particularly a taillight having at least one mounting lug attached to a back of the lamp that has a locking piece at its free end, by means of which the mounting lug can be inserted into a mounting hole of a vehicle and can be fastened in a self-locking manner to an edge area defining the mounting hole, while at least one bearing surface of the lamp, directed in an insertion direction of the mounting lug, is brought to bear against the vehicle.
German Gebrauchsmuster (registered utility model) 74 07 139 discloses such a mounting device for a vehicle lamp wherein the lamp has a plastic housing, its back forming a saucer-shaped reflector and its front being covered by a light-transmissive cover plate. At an apex, the reflector has an opening for receiving a bulb. The lamp is placed into a vehicle opening and, via a gasket spring element that surrounds the vehicle opening, bears against an edge area of the vehicle opening. Each mounting lug of the lamp has a lock-in nose at a free end thereof, and is flexible along nearly its entire length. The locking lugs are inserted into mounting holes of the vehicle and their lock-in noses engage in a self-latching manner behind the edge area of the mounting hole. The spring element, that is the surrounding gasket, is thereby compressed. The spring mounted locking lugs are pivotal about lines of elastic area extending perpendicular to their direction of insertion, and their lock-in noses are biased to press against the edge area defining the mounting hole of the vehicle. Because of this continuous elastic force, the elasticity of the mounting lugs decreases over time, and the locking connection between the mounting holes of the vehicle and the mounting lugs can grow loose on its own during vehicle operation. The locking connection can also become loosened when a bulb is changed.
It is an object of this invention to provide a mounting device for a vehicle lamp of the type described in the opening paragraph, wherein a self-locking connection between a mounting lug of a lamp and a vehicle is protected against loosening on its own, even when significant force is applied opposite an insertion direction of the mounting lug, which can occur when the bulb is changed, and wherein the mounting lug must not be prestressed to press against an edge area defining the mounting hole, crosswise with respect to its direction of insertion, for holding the lamp on the vehicle.